Staff Listing

2013: A Busy Year of Promoting and Advancing Interests of Timeshare Owners

By ARDA State Affairs

November 12, 2013

Many of you will hear from ARDA staff later this week at ARDA’s Fall Conference in Washington, DC that this has been one of the busiest years on record for timeshare legislative activity at the state level.

More than 25 bills in 13 states were introduced, passed, or killed in 2013 to protect the legislative interests of timeshare developers, timeshare associations, management companies, and timeshare owners.

A few highlights include:

--Resale and transfer company legislation was introduced in Florida, Colorado, South Carolina, and Massachusetts that will provide specific guidelines related to resellers and transfer companies

--Killing two proposed “take-back” bills introduced in Massachusetts and Vermont

--Passing three bills in Hawaii, including one that provides for voluntary de-registration of timeshare fee interests from the Land Court to the regular system at the Bureau of Conveyances

--Helping the governments of St. Maarten and Jamaica introduce comprehensive timeshare legislation that benefits developers and owners alike

You can read more details about each piece of legislation in the October issue of Developments magazine. We will also be updating attendees about our legislative priorities for 2014 during ARDA’s Fall Conference.

We are very proud of the work and the efforts of everyone involved—including timeshare owners—to help us achieve the many legislative successes. We look forward to continuing our progress into 2014.

ARDA Fall Conference 2013: Why You Need to Be in D.C. on November 13

The shutdown is over and D.C. is back! There is no better place to kick-off the next year of ARDA’s success than right here in our nation’s capital for Fall Conference.

The most valuable networking events, meetings, and expert panels in the industry will all be in one place for ARDA’s Fall Conference 2013—Wednesday, November 13, through Friday, November 15th.

What trip to D.C. would be complete without insight from the city’s top policy experts? This year, ARDA proudly features two exciting keynote speakers from right here inside the beltway. Get your toughest questions answered by tax policy professional Kevin Hassett, an economist who will share useful advice from his years of work as an economic advisor to prominent politicians.

And be sure to stick around until day three to hear from experienced political analyst and journalist Charlie Cook. Cook has written for some of your favorite sources for the latest in politics and is known for his applauded political newsletter, The Cook Report. Attendees of Fall Conference boast a peek inside Washington that non-locals usually miss.

Plus, be among the first to get an exclusive sneak preview of the new and improved ARDA consumer site, VacationBetter.org. Benefit from previewing what your customers will see when they search for reliable, comprehensive information on the industry and product.

If you’ve attended Fall Conference before, you know how important it is to be a part of the inner circle that crafts ARDA’s plan for the year. If this is your first year attending, you won’t want to miss the countless networking opportunities and insider tips that Fall Conference offers. We look forward to seeing you and your fellow timeshare professionals in the District on November 13!

Our newest infographic focuses on steps timeshare owners can take to help them navigate the resale market. As you know, ARDA has worked closely with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and many states to educate consumers about how to avoid scams in the secondary market over the years. This latest effort—our easy-to-follow infographic—will provide guidance to consumers that are confused about where to turn.

The incidents of reseller-related scams are growing as owners are reporting them to the appropriate authorities more frequently, and lawmakers are taking steps to put stronger protections in place.